What makes a product sell better than others? We take a look at noteworthy submissions to see what sets a best seller apart. For this year's Product Focus feature, we also asked security providers to submit their best-selling products. As the products were not all made in 2008, we included a representative sample to see what products are in demand. This category is less about the latest solutions and more focused on whatˇs selling well now.

What makes a product sell better than others? We take a look at noteworthy submissions to see what sets a best seller apart. For this year's Product Focus feature, we also asked security providers to submit their best-selling products. As the products were not all made in 2008, we included a representative sample to see what products are in demand. This category is less about the latest solutions and more focused on whatˇs selling well now.

CamerasGrandeye's best-selling Halocam Compact IPC is similar to its most innovative partner, also a concealedmount, 360-degree network camera featuring a five-megapixel sensor. The camera's high-quality fisheye lens monitors a full hemisphere and can pan, tilt and zoom.

Another top-selling network camera was the VIVOTEK FD7131, a three-axis fixed dome equipped with a PIR sensor. With the company's VVTK-1000 SoC processor, it delivers dual video streams and enabled remote viewing with 3GPP mobile surveillance, making the camera a cost-effective solution indoor application.

Possibly the most familiar best seller is Pelco's Spectra IV IP dome. Introduced 11 years ago, the camera established Pelco as a leading dome maker and now features IP connectivity. The IP-based positioning system features latency-free operation. It also is easy to install and maintain, with Spectra systems in place from the Statue of Liberty to Macau. While the Spectra has undergone several changes, its user-friendly operation makes it a long-time buyer favorite.

StorageOne of the major players in DVRs, Dallmeier electronic's DMS 240 "In Memory of Leonardo" was submitted as the company's best-selling model. The DVR offers 24 camera inputs with real-time recording in H.264 for all channels. It features hybrid functionality for IP and analog cameras, making it a future-proof investment.

TeleEye's top seller was its RX Series Video Recording Server. Using its proprietary SMAC-M compression, the video server records 60 percent longer and transmits 50 percent faster than MPEG-4. Efficient compression was a common feature for best-selling storage products.

Thompson said the solution had the "ability to use a wide variety of protocols to serve live and recorded video to meet diverse application needs."

SurveillanceItalian Cieffe's best-selling product was its Nettuno, a stand-alone embedded video server, capable of multiple streams in MPEG-4 or H.264 compression. The video server is compatible with third-party analog cameras, making it highly useful for running video analytics on mixed surveillance systems with IP and analog cameras.

A video encoder that sold well was the ioimage ioibox trk1. The ioibox trk1 features "advanced technology packaged in a very flexible device for almost universal application of analytics at the edge," Thompson said.

For processors, the S6100 processor was Stretch's best-selling product, designed for video, imaging, and wireless applications.

TransmissionThe V'nes (Video Network Enterprise Solution) from American Fibertek was its best selling solution. It is a comprehensive security network designed for physical security applications, accommodating analog, IP or hybrid signals.

Another best seller was the Aboundi APL4200 UltraSpeed UPS-able Quad PowerLine NetBridge APL4200-200. It has continuous networking connectivity for up to 300 meters of operational distance.

AES-IntelliNet's MultiNet system was its best seller. The long-range radio mesh technology for alarm communications technology allows users to monitor alarms in multiple regions from one location, without communications costs. This low-cost real-time solution reflects user needs.

Altronix's HubWayLD8S Active UTP Transceiver Hub video, controller data and power over a CAT-5 or higher cable, making it a best seller.

Access ControlA breakthrough card reader was CDVI Group's best-selling product. The Remote Transmitter ERP combined for the first time a metal and polycarbonate casing, previously not possible in radio frequency technology.

One of the dominant players in access control, HID Global's top-selling product was the R10 Reader 6100 Mullion Smart Card Reader. The iCLASS reader had an open architecture design, making it compatible with many card formats and offering great flexibility.

The Dortronics EZ-Access Control System provides audit trails for two independent doors, making reporting convenient for users.

The best seller for IDenticard Systems was its PremiSys access control system, allowing users to set cardholder privileges and design badges.

SoftwareDVTel, a leader in management software, enjoyed top sales with its intelligent Security Operations Center (iSOC) V5. The iSOC V5 is an open standard, IP-based security management center that unifies video, audio, data, access control, trend analysis and alarm management functionality into one enterprise command and control center.

The EVT Technologies Vertex was a best seller for its ease of operation. Its Image Content Navigation Vertex module enables intuitive object tailing through multiple cameras, allowing operators to not memorize camera locations, numbers and names.

Milestone's top seller was its XProtect Enterprise, suitable for large multisite installations with unlimited cameras and users.

Since its launch in 2006, the Mirasys V series has garnered top sales. The hybrid surveillance solution can be tailored to surveillance needs in many applications.

The MicroTrack intrusion system was Southwest Microwave's best seller. It consists of a processor and two pairs of cables buried 18 to 28 cm (7 to 11 inches) underground, capable of securing up to 400 meters (1,300 feet).

These products might not be the latest products, but we hope that our compilations can provide you with some helpful information.